The Wealthy Woman

Challenge:

 Read through each line of this little paragraph and 

write down your own answers to the questions

before reading on! 

The Wealthy Woman

     What does a wealthy lady look like?  Perhaps what comes to your mind is the rustle of silk floating down a marble staircase, or maybe the glimmer of candlelight reflected from a diamond brooch.You would not be alone in your thoughts; many people have a similar view of wealth.  But what does the Scripture say?

     "Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."  1 Peter 3:3-5     Think again of the diamonds and silk.  Are these not vanity and outward adorning?  If God's view of wealth and ours differ, should we not change our views?  Should we not replace the elegant woman with jewels, silk, and chic coiffure with a modest, contented lady in simple attire seeking to be a blessing to others?  Still more, should we not ask God to make us ladies of wealth in His eyes? (Written by a friend of mine who hopes that the Lord will use it to bless and encourage those who read it.)


This was thought provoking for me.

What do I value most? So much so, that I would consider someone 'wealthy' if they had it? 
Is that what comes to my mind first when I think of wealth? Why not? Does it mean that I truly value it? Or that I just wish to think that I value it?
What do I think is truly beautiful? What is gaudy?
Do I dress in a way to please those around me, or my Lord? How much or little is too much or little?
Am I vain?
What if I am?
What does God think of me?
What if the simple beauty costs me as more spiritual labor than the silks would cost physical labor? Is it worth it to me? Am I tenaciously persistent in going after that beauty?
What is getting in the way?
Am I choosing 'good' over 'better' and 'best'?
How can I practically fix it?
Can I go do it right now?


Hope you were challenged as much as I was!
In Christ

Tibits For Thoughts

"The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers,
not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
  to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands,
that the word of God may not be blasphemed."
Titus 2:3-5

  
 I don't have a husband to love, but I can save my love for him by guarding my thoughts and only thinking what is:

" ...true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, ... Virtu(ous and),... Praiseworthy.." about any fella I meet. No, I don't have children to love unconditionally, but I can learn how to love by practicing it with * 'unlovable' siblings. Discreet? I can practice that! Chaste? Uh huh! Homemaker? (does scrubbing toilets count?) Even if I don't want to... I can. Good?... Isn't that what the Christian life is about? Serving God as He conforms us to the image of His Son? Obedient? I may not have a husband, but I sure can practice before I meet 'im! 

Another thought:

~Discreet
"curbing ones desires and impulses, self-controlled, moderate."

~Chaste
"exciting reverence, venerable, honorable, sacred, pure from carnality, modest." 
~Good
"useful, salutary, good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished, upright, honorable."
God has His own good time for your husband and my husband. How could He bless us with a husband to serve if we are not serving Him ? God says 'when a man finds a wife he finds a good thing.' How can God give a husband one of us, if we are not 'a good thing' ?


One last thought:
Is our focus in the right place? As women, we are created to be a helper for man, and we have an innate need and desire to do just that. The desire is a good thing. It is a gift from God. But when we put as the #1 our desire to be married (and to be loved as the idol of a man's heart? ... and to be served... and thought of first...and... ... ... to be worshiped? (adored?)) we pull our idea of marriage out of our pockets and shove it at God saying, "what you think is best really isn't." (That makes God a liar.) "I know you are holding out on me." (That makes God malicious.) "This is the blessing I want. Give it to me." (That makes puts you in the place of the All Knowing God as god.)
 Do you see how we mock Him?
 Do you see the need for a little more trust and faith?
"James 1:5, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally, and reproaches not; and it shall be given him."

"Romans 12:2, and do not be conformed to this world, ( we must beware of the lust of the flesh girls) but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."
But!!!
Whaaat is 'transforming' our minds?
simply put, it is putting into our minds God's thoughts, and kicking out our old-sin-nature thoughts.
"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7
What we think is the 'real us.' It dictates how we act and what comes out of our mouths. The dirt inside our minds cripples our faith.
So what should we think? 
True Things...

God is capable of doing anything.
God is working all things out for my ultimate good.
God's timing is perfect.
God has me here in this season of life for a reason.

 








*To be honest there is no such thing as an 'unlovable sibling.' we just use that as an excuse to let ourselves off the hook.

Becoming a Proverbs 31 Woman

^{As christian girls we spend a lot of time talking about "The Proverbs 31 Woman."}
 

<sup>We 'learn a lot from her' 'want to be like her' 'think she is the epitome of christian womanhood' and much more.
What are we doing about it?


Honestly?
God has called us to do more that just talk.
He has called us to ACTION.


Father,</sup>

^{Make us willing to go and do what we know is right.}

^{Make me willing.}

^"10Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." 

I purpose to be devoted to You and Your Word before my own projects, activities, and ideas.

 ^"11The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil."

I purpose to ask You what you want me to do in a given situation and not to rely on my own wisdom.

  ^"12She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life."

 I purpose to take the time to show Your love to others with my tongue and with my actions even when I don't feel like I have the time.

^"13She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands."  
^"14She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar." 

 ^"15She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens."

 ^"16She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard."

 I purpose to be willing to do whatever I see needs doing and to do it with all my might, regardless of looks, inconvenience, and self-denial required . 


  "¹⁷She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms."

I purpose to avoid books, movies, thoughts, activities, possessions, and clothing that distract me from You, and tempt me to think, act, and speak in a way that does not please you.   

 ^"18She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night."  

^"19She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff."

I purpose to use my talents for Your glory, and not to boost my pride. 

 ^"20She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy."

I purpose to talk to others when You prompt me, even if I don't want to, and to look for ways I can meet other's needs.

 ^"21She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet."

^"22She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. "

I purpose to be available to my mother, to be her helper, and to learn with a servant's attitude, even if I think I know it already.

 ^"23Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land."

 I purpose to treat each person around me as if they were you.

 ^"24She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant." 

I purpose to look around me for ways to be creative, to think outside the box, and use Your ingenuity instead of giving up, saying it can't be done, or throwing my responsibility on someone else because I don't want to figure it out. 

 ^"25Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come."

I purpose to look at my desires, goals, and role models through Your eyes and weed out those which do not please you.

 "²⁶She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness."

I purpose to spread your joy with my smile and tongue, even if I am  tired and/or want to grump.

" ²⁷She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness."
 I purpose to be diligent do the things that you give me to do, like or dislike, big or small, hard or easy, to Your standard.

^"28Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her."

 ^"29Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all."

 ^"30Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."

I purpose to look forward to Your reward in heaven, to look at life around me from Your eternal perspective, and to choose to focus on those things which are of eternal value. 

" ³¹Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates."

 I purpose to find out what God commands and to do it, taking full responsibility for my diligence in application.

This is something that God has called me to. Will you hold me accountable? 

 

 

Feminine Dress

 We apologize that it has been so long since our last post! Please, the next time you see us disappear, bury us in email reminders!
Today's topic is Feminine Dress: What it is, but today, we are going to give you the opinion of others through quotes! If you have something to add, or have more questions, feel free to drop us a note. Rebecca, Heather and I love to hear from you! (...As a side note, are there topics you would like us to cover?)

"One of the first evidences of a real lady, is that she should be modest. By modesty we mean that she shall not say, do, nor wear anything that would cause her to appear gaudy, ill-bred, or unchaste. There should be nothing about her to attract unfavorable attention, nothing in her dress or manner that would give a man an excuse for vulgar comment. When we dress contrary to the rule of modesty we give excuse for unwholesome thoughts in the mind of those who look upon us, and every girl who oversteps these bounds makes herself liable to misunderstanding and insult, though she may be innocent of any such intention."
 ~Margaret Hale



^"In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing,
But, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works."
~ 1Timothy 2:9-10

 "It seems to be the fashion nowadays for a girl to behave as much like a man as possible. Well, I won't! I'll make the best of being a girl and be as nice a specimen as I can: sweet and modest, a dear, dainty thing with clothes smelling all sweet and violet-y, a soft voice, and pretty, womanly ways. Since I'm a girl, I prefer to be a real one!" 
~ Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey

O woman! lovely woman! Nature made thee
To temper man: we had been brutes without you.
Angels are painted fair, to look like you:
There’s in you all that we believe of heaven,—
Amazing brightness, purity, and truth,
Eternal joy, and everlasting love.
~ Thomas Otway, Venice Preserved, Act i. Sc. 1.

"Why do women want to dress like men when they’re fortunate enough to be women? Why lose femininity, which is one of our greatest charms? We get more accomplished by being charming than we would be by flaunting." ~Tasha Tudor

"Modesty answers not the crude how of femininity, but the beautiful why."
~Wendy Shalit (A Return to Modesty: Discovering the Lost Virtue)

Fem’ninity is seen in her modesty,

Of manner and tongue as well as dress,

In her sensitiveness to propriety,

Not overly proud, or with looks obsessed
~ Godly Femininity

"The true worth of a race must be measured by the character of its womanhood." 

~ Mary Mcleod Bethune

"A good woman is a wondrous creature, cleaving to the right and to the good under all change: lovely in youthful comeliness, lovely all her life long in comeliness of heart."

~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Life of Tennyson, Vol. I. 

“The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity.”
~ Margaret D. Nadauld

"Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— ⁴ rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. ⁵ For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves"
~ 1 Peter 3: 3-5

 


I wonder.... are we, the young, Christian women of the 21st century fulfilling our role?  How are we to bring up the next generation if we do not do what we know is right in this area of modest dress and modest actions?
One does not need a husband to be a godly woman . 

If...

If you can never marry,

see all your dreams rearranged,

and still remain pure,

If you can plan and plot

and it all be overturned at a moments notice,

and still submit joyfully

If you can slave over a dinner all day

only to have a child snub it

then rise again the next day and start all over again,

If you can sweep, mop, and scrub,

and watch as your family walks through with boots and dirty hands

and welcome them home,

If you can teach the same math lesson one hundred times,

only for the child to still not get it,

and return tomorrow and try again,

If you can absorb the troubles around you,

take in the worn and weary,

and never be praised,

If you can remain calm,

while everyone around you gives in to the chaos,

If you can hold the child who got hurt,

doing something you told him not to,

If you can walk through the trials of life

and cling all the closer to God,

Then, then my daughters, you will be women.

This poem was written by Olivia

based on Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘If’

Godly Femininity

This poem I am going to post tonight was written by Beth Marie, on femininity and what it is-

Godly Femininity

What can it be?

What can it mean?

How do you describe it?

How can it be seen?

In a heart that belongs to God alone,

In whom His sustaining presence is felt,

And through whom the Love of God is known,

And is solely Holy Spirit indwelt.

Fem’ninity is a servant at heart,

Willingly submissive to authority,

Always seeking to shoulder her part,

With her spirit singing joyfully

Fem’ninity is seen in her modesty,

Of manner and tongue as well as dress,

In her sensitiveness to propriety,

Not overly proud, or with looks obsessed

Describe it as an inward attitude,

A deep well bub’ling with gentleness,

A soul at peace with God will exude,

Internal quiet and sweet restfulness

She works with her hands, is industrious,

She gives to all her hospitality,

Just looking for ways to be generous,

Not forced or with rigid formality

Fem’ninity asks for wisdom each day,

To know how to always please the Lord,

Pondering God’s Word, not ceasing pray,

One of character, virtue, and her word

Can this a girl upon herself take?

In her flesh and by herself labor?

And she a model of fem’ninty make

Success for herself to praise and savor?

No! I cry it aloud, and again No!

Without the Savior to support, sustain,

She is too weak, incapable to do so,

Only the Power of Christ can Satan chain

The undergirding harmony of her life

Can only be Christ, and Christ alone

He is the focal point of her strife

Against her ‘old man’, who is vilely prone

This is Godly fem’ninity.

This is how it must be.

This is what it must mean.

This is how you describe it.

This is how it is seen.

The Daughter of Destiny

As a home-schooler I have the opportunity of being able to chose some of my homework. Hurray! 
Last week my teacher (also known as my older sister) gave me the assignment of finding and memorizing a poem- I found this in a book called "Verses of Virtue."  It is rather lengthy but it is also full of beautiful concepts and ideas that are completely worth the work:

Long before the present battle

There was prophesied a day

Tinkling words, impov'rished prattle

Itching ears to hearts would sway.

In that day of broken marriage.

Femininity's demise,

Ladies lost their life and carriage.

All were "smart," but none were wise.

Rose up Mistress Amazonia

Warring women lead with mirth.

Most forgot the Pauline proverb,

"She'll be saved through childbirth."

Off to war went the daughters.

Left behind the men and babes.

Noble womanhood was slaughtered.

Craving freedom, became slaves.

Rise up Hannah - listen, here it!

Maidenhood's the royal throne,

Of those women, true of spirit,

Loving heaven, hearth, and home.

Rise up Hannah - others follow.

You will not proceed alone

And the victory's not hollow

When the truth is set in stone.

From the ashes of a culture

That knew God, but now knows none

Generations rose to prosper,

Forged by light from His true Son.

Taught at home, but raised for warfare,

Not the steel and fleshy kind,

But the battle that is more fair,

When the Spirit girds the mind.

Now there stands a breed of woman

Strong of mind and content of heart.

Cherishing the ancient virtues,

And from them will not depart:

Love of truth, and love of mother;

Purity; the Word of God;

Holiness to one another,

Homes to build, and keep, and laud.

Rise up Hannah - here's God's token,

That your youth has passed the test.

Three-fold strands will not be broken.

In thy sisters' friendship rest.

Rise up Hannah - happy sister.

Sarah's friend, Rebecca's love,

Sisters three, your God has given

Tender hearts knit from above.

Stand they now this generation

Birthed by hearts which turned to home;

Fathers who have changed direction

Mothers who no longer roam.

And the future is a bright one,

If to vision you will cleave

And will not trade God's truth for some

Mess of pottage known as ease.

Prepare to hear the heathen grumble,

Steel yourself to their complaint

Cynics moan and basely mumble

Gnash their teeth, but they will faint.

They will faint, and will not follow

For you tread the narrow road.

And in it's tread will chew and swallow

Selfish seeds unjustly sewn.

In the end, the Lord will vanquish

Vanquish them, but vindicate

All who love Christ's ancient order

And enter in the narrow gate.

Rise up Hannah - faithful daughter.

Onward Maiden to the quest.

You who called your mother blessed,

Someday shall in kind be blessed.

Rise up Hannah - to your station!

Daughter fair of destiny.

Light the path for generations.

Raise the torch of liberty

                                     

                                     Douglas W. Phillips